


Better Left Forgotten

by Glass_Oceans



Series: The Ficlet Collection [5]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-27
Updated: 2018-05-27
Packaged: 2019-05-09 09:49:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14713775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glass_Oceans/pseuds/Glass_Oceans
Summary: Kylo is partial to a certain crappy brandy. 1) Hux didn't even know the man drank and 2) much less that. He *loves* the same drink and has never found anyone else who does. How does that go down when they discover this in the officer's lounge (or whereever)?





	Better Left Forgotten

**Author's Note:**

> Content warnings: Alcohol, Angst, Picking through old memories

Hux let out a long sigh as he turned into the officers lounge. He tugged his gloves from his hands, tossing them to the bar with his hat. The lounge was mostly deserted at this time, only a scattering of officers who knew to leave him be, to let him have his time to himself. The others who thought it was a good time to have a quiet word with him found themselves swiftly transferred to work cycles completely opposite to his. The ones who persisted no longer served on the Finalizer. Hux perked up as the serving droid completed it’s circuit and halted in front of him to take his order. 

“Grappaberry brandy, no ice.”

“Unable to serve beverage.”

“What do you mean unable?”

“The requested beverage is not behind the counter.”

Hux could feel his mood souring rapidly. The bottle had still been half full the last time he had called to this lounge, it couldn’t just have disappeared. 

“I’m the only one who drinks it, what do you mean, not here?”

“Beverage requested by patron,” the droid replied, turning on it’s tracks slightly to gesture towards a set of seats set before the lounge’s transparisteel viewing ports. Hux followed the gesture and sighed as he saw who was sitting there. 

“Give me a glass.” he said to the droid, holding out his hand. As soon as he felt the weight of the lead crystal settle in his palm, he slipped from the bar stool and walked over to retrieve his drink. Ren looked up from his drink as Hux crossed the room, their eyes meeting in the reflection on the transparisteel. Hux held the contact until he stood behind Ren’s chair. 

“Drinking Ren? I thought yours was an ascetic order.”

Ren snorted as he lifted the glass to his lips. 

“You have no idea.”

Hux kept his face blank, pushing down his curiosity at the comment as he reached out and snatched the bottle from Ren’s table. Ren simply watched as Hux poured the drink, raising a brow when Hux lifted the glass to take in the scent of the drink, as if Hux would have just poured it to spite him. After taking his first sip, his shoulders visibly relaxing, Ren gestured to the chair beside him. Hux paused for a moment, considering, then stepped around to fall into it. 

Both men sat in silence for some time, watching the stars each lost in their own thoughts. As Hux finished off his glass, Ren lifted the bottle, tilting it towards him in silent invitation. Hux nodded, setting the glass down to allow Ren to pour a generous portion, matching the volume in his own glass. 

“I thought I was the only one who drank this,” Hux muttered as they lifted their glasses again. 

“I thought your tastes would have been more refined,” Ren replied.

Hux looked at Ren then, his eyes narrowing, but Ren’s face was still, no hint of the smirk that had been in his voice. 

“I do prefer finer drinks, at times,” Hux admitted, “but sometimes you drink to remember.”

Ren contemplated the pale liquid in his glass. 

“What does this remind you of General.”

Hux couldn’t help the smile as his eyes turned glassy, immediately caught up in the memories. 

“My time as a cadet. Getting away from the academy, leaving behind all the plots and maneuvers that went on beyond the classroom. Getting into a cantina that didn’t care to look to closely at their patron’s age and would just take the credits and serve the drink.”

“An escape.”

Hux blinked as he came up to himself, and looked at Ren with eyes turned cold. 

“Yes.”

Silence stretched between them again as Hux kept his thoughts from turning any further inwards. 

“What is it for you?”

For a long while he thought that Ren wouldn’t answer; he gave no indication of having heard the question. Hux was starting back out the port when Ren finally spoke. 

“I knew of a boy who was born on the planet where this berry is harvested” he said, holding his glass up and staring at it as if the liquid would tell the story for him. “His parents would return to celebrate his birthday, year after year. His mother had refined tastes, and she drank the wine that came from his fruit, but his father was far coarser. He preferred the brandy. Said it tasted better even when it travelled.”

Hux watched Ren’s face silently as he told the story. His expression seemed to say he was far angrier than his words implied. 

“One night, when he was still young, there was a thunderstorm, far out at sea and moving closer to where the family were staying.” Ren began to swirl the liquid as he spoke. “It was beautiful. A clear and dark night, you could only see the horizon or the cliffs around the bay when the lightning struck the sea. As the storm moved closer, the wind picked up, and that’s when the man started sharing his drink with his son, small sips that helped keep him warm even when the rain started to fall.”

Ren stopped moving the glass, the liquid dangerously close to sloshing over the side with the sudden halt. He stayed there, breathing hard, like he was willing lightning to strike the very glass in his hand. Hux watched his, watched the emotions flick over his face before he pulled himself together, everything falling back behind a wall in his eyes. 

“Another life,” he said. “Not mine. It was never mine.”

Hux said nothing in reply. He finished his drink, setting the glass quietly down on the table and left Ren to his memories.


End file.
